hand
might explain the difficulty in matching handprinting to any suspect. Sergeant Mulanax was hungry to learn more.
“Could I drop by tonight when your husband wil be home?” he said. “We want to ask him some questions too.” Ronald Gene Al en, a thirty-two-
year-old landscape engineer, was currently attending Berkeley Col ege. He had attended Cal Poly from fal 1960 until fal 1968, when he attained a
bachelor of science degree. “He’l be late,” she said, but agreed that 8:00 P.M. would be convenient. After she left, Mulanax contacted Armstrong
and Toschi and asked them to rendezvous with him at 216 Aragon Street in Val ejo that night. An already long day was growing longer.
Mulanax reached the home first. It was just off Columbus Parkway, which led directly into Blue Rock Springs to the north. He suspected Zodiac
had used the parkway as an escape route after the July Fourth shootings. Mulanax stood in the deep shadows of the pleasant tree-lined cul-de-sac.
Somewhere in his cozy little town, the most cunning criminal he had ever come across was waiting. A cool wind blew in from San Pablo Bay. He
scanned the hedges and fences, unable to shake thoughts of a watcher. Fifteen minutes later, Toschi and Armstrong reached Ron and Karen’s
home and found Mulanax already inside and glad to be in the light.
As Karen had done, Ron offered to help in the investigation if he could. Mulanax believed his offer to be sincere. “But I can’t believe my brother is
a serious suspect in the case,” he said. At first, he offered little on either side of the scale as to his brother’s guilt or innocence. “I am wel
acquainted with your source of information.” So, thought Toschi, the informants, Cheney and Panzarel a, had spoken with Ron before the Manhattan
Beach P.D. He did not know that Cheney and Ron had been roommates in col ege. “They are responsible people,” the brother admitted. “They
wouldn’t have made such statements if they were not true.” He also explained that he had received a complaint from one of the informants that Al en
had made improper advances toward one of his children. “He has a definite problem as far as children are concerned and he does drink to
excess.” Though Ron didn’t say so outright, Mulanax reserved the possibility that a personal motive might be behind some of the accusations
against Al en. That would explain many things and it would mean they were on the wrong track. Few serial kil ers drank to excess. It had something
to do with the lack of control.
Ron confirmed that Al en’s two revolvers were .22-caliber. Zodiac had used a .22-caliber automatic pistol during the Lake Herman Road
homicides, but from then on had used various 9-mm automatics, a .45-caliber weapon, and even a knife. Though Ron had never seen any of the
handprinting Tucker had mentioned, he had observed the gray box. At one point it, he recal ed, had been kept in his old room.
“Ron and his wife were very cooperative,” Toschi said later. “What I heard is that he [Al en] was not close to his mother, that he just lived in the
house, that’s the only place he had. Al en, we learned afterward, had many weapons and, like the brother said, was very familiar with the roads and
side roads al around the area. Later, Karen just felt that her brother-in-law was the one we were looking for and that Val ejo P.D. kind of just kissed
him off, and that disturbed me. We had to work with these other detectives, and it bothered me that they felt we were the big-city detectives when in
fact we never came across that way at al .”
The three policemen left. Ron fol owed them out and promised again to do anything he could to assist. He was as helpful as his big brother had
been at the refinery that morning. Toschi looked back. Ron appeared a lonely and worried figure under the porch light. It was now 10:00 P.M.
Toschi reached his Sunset District home soon after, kissed Carol good night, looked in on
might explain the difficulty in matching handprinting to any suspect. Sergeant Mulanax was hungry to learn more.
“Could I drop by tonight when your husband wil be home?” he said. “We want to ask him some questions too.” Ronald Gene Al en, a thirty-two-
year-old landscape engineer, was currently attending Berkeley Col ege. He had attended Cal Poly from fal 1960 until fal 1968, when he attained a
bachelor of science degree. “He’l be late,” she said, but agreed that 8:00 P.M. would be convenient. After she left, Mulanax contacted Armstrong
and Toschi and asked them to rendezvous with him at 216 Aragon Street in Val ejo that night. An already long day was growing longer.
Mulanax reached the home first. It was just off Columbus Parkway, which led directly into Blue Rock Springs to the north. He suspected Zodiac
had used the parkway as an escape route after the July Fourth shootings. Mulanax stood in the deep shadows of the pleasant tree-lined cul-de-sac.
Somewhere in his cozy little town, the most cunning criminal he had ever come across was waiting. A cool wind blew in from San Pablo Bay. He
scanned the hedges and fences, unable to shake thoughts of a watcher. Fifteen minutes later, Toschi and Armstrong reached Ron and Karen’s
home and found Mulanax already inside and glad to be in the light.
As Karen had done, Ron offered to help in the investigation if he could. Mulanax believed his offer to be sincere. “But I can’t believe my brother is
a serious suspect in the case,” he said. At first, he offered little on either side of the scale as to his brother’s guilt or innocence. “I am wel
acquainted with your source of information.” So, thought Toschi, the informants, Cheney and Panzarel a, had spoken with Ron before the Manhattan
Beach P.D. He did not know that Cheney and Ron had been roommates in col ege. “They are responsible people,” the brother admitted. “They
wouldn’t have made such statements if they were not true.” He also explained that he had received a complaint from one of the informants that Al en
had made improper advances toward one of his children. “He has a definite problem as far as children are concerned and he does drink to
excess.” Though Ron didn’t say so outright, Mulanax reserved the possibility that a personal motive might be behind some of the accusations
against Al en. That would explain many things and it would mean they were on the wrong track. Few serial kil ers drank to excess. It had something
to do with the lack of control.
Ron confirmed that Al en’s two revolvers were .22-caliber. Zodiac had used a .22-caliber automatic pistol during the Lake Herman Road
homicides, but from then on had used various 9-mm automatics, a .45-caliber weapon, and even a knife. Though Ron had never seen any of the
handprinting Tucker had mentioned, he had observed the gray box. At one point it, he recal ed, had been kept in his old room.
“Ron and his wife were very cooperative,” Toschi said later. “What I heard is that he [Al en] was not close to his mother, that he just lived in the
house, that’s the only place he had. Al en, we learned afterward, had many weapons and, like the brother said, was very familiar with the roads and
side roads al around the area. Later, Karen just felt that her brother-in-law was the one we were looking for and that Val ejo P.D. kind of just kissed
him off, and that disturbed me. We had to work with these other detectives, and it bothered me that they felt we were the big-city detectives when in
fact we never came across that way at al .”
The three policemen left. Ron fol owed them out and promised again to do anything he could to assist. He was as helpful as his big brother had
been at the refinery that morning. Toschi looked back. Ron appeared a lonely and worried figure under the porch light. It was now 10:00 P.M.
Toschi reached his Sunset District home soon after, kissed Carol good night, looked in on
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